


Trust and Support

by icandrawamoth



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: Coming Out, Friendship, Gen, Hugs, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Tycho Celchu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24730453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: "I'll still be the same Tycho, just with different pronouns."
Relationships: Wedge Antilles & Tycho Celchu
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	Trust and Support

Wedge estimates he has half an hour or so of datawork remaining before he can escape his office, grab a late dinner, and retreat to his bunk when the door slides open to admit his XO. A smile of greeting dies halfway to Wedge's lips as he takes his friend in. Tycho's jaw is set, his hands shoved in his pockets.

“Something wrong?” Wedge asks, concern in his voice.

“Not wrong, no.” Tycho hesitates in the middle of the room.

The concern fades a little, replaced by more curiosity. There's no reason for Tycho to be this uncomfortable over anything he might have to say to Wedge.

“Is it squadron business?” Wedge asks, gesturing him to the chair in front of his desk.

Tycho perches at the edge, hands moving to clench at his knees. “No, not that. Sorry, I know you're working, but I had to come and talk to you before I lost my nerve.”

Wedge puts down the datapad he'd been reading from and rests his hands on the desk. “What is it, Tycho? I'm all ears.”

Tycho flashes him a nervous little smile. “Okay. So. We've talked before about how Alderaanian culture was extremely accepting of all sexual, romantic, and gender identities and took strides to educate people about them.”

Wedge nods. He'd been jealous of that when they met. Corellia, by contrast, had always been more heteronormative. Wedge had been in the stars for years before he'd ever heard of half the identities Tycho had grown up being exposed to.

“And you know I spent some time when I was young exploring what kinds of attraction I felt before coming to identify as pansexual. But even though I was in a supportive society and had a supportive family, I never gave my gender a second thought. Until now.”

“Oh.” The word is out before Wedge considers whether it's a good response or not. This isn't what he'd expected from this conversation. Tycho is giving him this fragile, questioning look, and Wedge answers it with an encouraging smile. “Go on, Tycho.”

Another deep breath. “I've always thought of myself as a man. It's how I was born and raised. It's not like I had stereotypical boy things thrust on me or anything,” he adds, “but it seems like certain sets of norms can't be entirely avoided.” He shrugs, lines appearing on his forehead. “It's kind of hard to explain.

“Anyway, obviously the Empire didn't encourage their recruits to explore this sort of thing. It wasn't until I joined the Rebellion that I was actually spending time around some openly gender nonconforming people. Both other humans and species who are entirely divorced from the common idea of the gender binary. And it all got me thinking. Is 'male' really my identity, or have I just been assuming that the whole time? Am I really something else? And, Wedge, I think I am.”

“Are you telling me you're really a woman?” Wedge looks at Tycho and tries to picture him – or maybe not “him” anymore? – with longer hair and breasts. It's different; it would take some getting used to, but Wedge knows his feelings on the subject don't matter. Whatever his friend needs to be happy as his true self – that's what's important.

Tycho shakes his head. “Not exactly. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I think I still identify at least partially as a man. Maybe largely as a man. But not entirely. I don't exactly feel like a woman, but when I think about being something else – about androgyny or another gender outside that binary... It's hard to put into words, but it feels right.”

He may not have the words, but Wedge can see the truth of it in his face. There's a sort of longing there. A sort of peace. A desperation to be understood.

Realization hits Wedge quite suddenly. “You were afraid I'd reject you for this. That's why you were so nervous.”

Tycho bites his lip. “Part of me knew you wouldn't. But it was still scary to think of finally saying it out loud not knowing how you'd react.”

Without a second thought, Wedge reaches across the desk with both hands, Tycho mirroring him almost automatically. Wedge squeezes his hands gently. “Tycho, you're my best friend. You're practically my brother. There's nothing you could tell me about yourself that would make me love you any less.”

Tycho immediately has to take one of his hands back to wipe at his eyes as he murmurs, “I can't tell you how much that means.”

“I mean every word.” Wedge squeezes once more, then lets him go to attempt to compose himself. “Just tell me what I can do to support you in this, and I will.”

Voice steadier, Tycho says, “So, there are a lot of different gender identities, and I'm still deciding which one fits me best. For now, though, I like the umbrella term nonbinary – meaning I don't identify fully as a man or fully as a woman. And here's the other big thing: because of that, I want to experiment with pronouns. Instead of he/him/his for me, I'd like you to use they/them/theirs.”

Wedge nods slowly. “I think I understand, but can you go over it so I can be sure?”

“Of course. Basically, if you're talking about me in conversation, instead of referring to me as 'he,' you say 'them' instead. Same for other pronouns. Gender neutral instead of male.” Tycho smiles sheepishly. “And to make it a little more complicated, I'm not ready to be out to everyone yet, just a few close friends. You're first, and next I'm going to wrangle Wes and Hobbie, and then Luke if I can get ahold of him. So between the four of you, I can be 'they,' and with everyone else, I can still be 'he.' Does that make sense?”

Wedge just gazes at his friend for a few moments before he answers, quietly rearranging his idea of Tycho Celchu. Not entirely a man, but nonbinary. Not “he,” but “they.” “Yes. But I have to admit I'm worried I might use the wrong pronoun with the wrong person and either out you before you're ready or just make you uncomfortable.”

“That is a danger, but I know you'll do your best, Wedge. That's all I can ask. And when you're not saying it out loud, you can get used to thinking of me that way in your head. I know that will take time.

“And I have to be honest,” he – no, they – admit. “I'm not entirely sure if this will stick. I don't want you to assume either way. It's something I need to try, and it's important to me.”

“You don't need to defend yourself to me,” Wedge reassures them. “If you tell me using these new pronouns in certain situations is something you need from me, I am more than willing to give it to you.”

Tycho smiles tremulously. “Thank you, Wedge.”

“No need to thank me either. It's the decent thing to do, and it's what you deserve. Is there anything else I need to know? Other changes to expect? Either as your friend or your CO?”

“Nothing that should affect work, no. In general, I might start experimenting with my outward gender presentation more. Grow my hair, dress a little differently when I'm in civvies, that sort of thing. In all the big ways, I'll still be the same Tycho, just with different pronouns.”

“I support you no matter what,” Wedge promises. “If you need anything, you only have to ask.”

Tycho smiles, and for the first time since they entered the room, it reaches their eyes and lights their entire face. It's like a weight has been lifted from their shoulders. “I'm glad I finally told you,” they say.

“Me too. It means a lot that you trusted me with this.”

“There's no one I trust more,” Tycho answers sincerely.

“That's it,” Wedge declares. “Hugs now.”

Tycho laughs, rising and and holding their arms out as Wedge rounds the desk. The embrace is good, tight and warm and full of feeling.

“Do you want me to come with you to talk to the others?” Wedge asks at long last.

Tycho shakes their head. “I need to do it on my own. But thank you for having my back.”

“Always,” Wedge says and hugs them again.

**Author's Note:**

> Though I did some research for this fic, I identify as a cis woman myself, so any notes on my portrayal of Tycho's identity here are welcome.


End file.
